ETO TO LAUNCH DISCOVER ESKİŞEHİR IN EUROPE

Eskişehir Chamber of Commerce (ETO) President Metin Güler emphasized the need to reverse the decision to close Hasan Polatkan Airport during the chamber’s regular assembly meeting. He also provided details about the chamber's upcoming project, Discover Eskişehir.

The March regular meeting of the Eskişehir Chamber of Commerce assembly took place, commencing with an opening speech by Assembly President Halil İbrahim Ara. During the meeting, agenda items were discussed and resolved. ETO President Metin Güler addressed current issues, including the chamber’s new project, Discover Eskişehir. Commenting on the decision to close Hasan Polatkan Airport to flights, Güler expressed disappointment at the impact this would have on Eskişehir, stating that they waited until the last moment to see if this decision could be reversed. He noted that Eskişehir representatives, AK Party Members of Parliament Nabi Avcı, Emine Nur Günay, and Nurullah Sazak, held a meeting with the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure in Ankara, resulting in the resolution of the issue. Güler questioned the logic behind diverting flights from Hasan Polatkan Airport, which serves around 100,000 passengers, to Zafer Airport, adding that the city suffered unnecessary inconvenience. He highlighted that neither local chambers, Eskişehir residents, nor airlines were consulted before this decision, which was made without input from Eskişehir’s representatives and bureaucrats.

Discover Eskişehir Campaign to Start in Belgium

Expressing hope that the decision regarding Hasan Polatkan Airport would be reversed, Güler announced the launch of a project titled Discover Eskişehir. He stated that the campaign would begin in Belgium, where around 80,000 citizens from Eskişehir currently reside. With Discover Eskişehir, the chamber aims to attract citizens from Europe back to Eskişehir and to promote Eskişehir’s health and cultural tourism. Güler mentioned that the goal is not only to reach Turkish citizens but also to invite their Belgian neighbors, colleagues, and friends, as well as foreign tourists, to visit Eskişehir.

Priority on Health Tourism Clustering

Güler stated that Discover Eskişehir would also focus on reaching young and new generation investors and establishing a health tourism cluster with support from the Ministry of Trade and Tourism. The cluster will involve hospitals, clinics, physiotherapy centers, travel agencies, and hotels, with efforts to expedite its development. ETO is planning a series of meetings and engagements in Belgium, where they will meet with representatives of NGOs, politicians, travel agencies, and media outlets. In April, travel agencies from Belgium will be invited to Eskişehir to participate in a three-day program to bring together stakeholders from Eskişehir. Highlighting Eskişehir's strong health and cultural tourism infrastructure, Güler concluded by saying they will work to activate this potential. He then answered questions regarding Discover Eskişehir and other current issues.